A Brief History of Independence Day

July 4 is universally recognized to be the day in which the United States gained independence from Great Britain in 1776 and is celebrated as Independence Day. It is one of eleven federal holidays and one of the most widely observed holidays in the country. It has been celebrated since at least 1777, making it one of the longest continually celebrated holidays in the country.

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Juneteenth Now Officially a Federal Holiday

The United States now officially has one new federal holiday: Juneteenth. This holiday, which has been unofficially observed since it was established in 1866, is celebrated annually on June 19 and commemorates the end of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, after the end of the Civil War and almost two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

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The Story of the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving

As America continues to battle its way through the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over 13 million Americans and killed 263,000 more, we have reached the busiest travel season of the year: Thanksgiving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has requested all Americans avoid travel this year, and consequently, over 61 percent of Americans have decided to change their travel plans. While you’re at home on Black Friday, let’s take some time to understand how Thanksgiving came about, and debunk some of those myths you were told about the holiday back in school.

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